We are 71 days away from the Kansas City Chiefs‘ season-opening game against the Denver Broncos on “Monday Night Football” in Week 1.
The No. 71 jersey is currently worn by the Chiefs’ starting left tackle, Josh Simmons, who is entering his second NFL season after being the franchise’s first-round pick in 2025.
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He’s on the right path, but there are two all-time players who may come to mind for Kansas Citians when they think of that uniform.
All-time Chiefs who wore No. 71
1. Ed Budde (1963-1976)
2. Mitchell Schwartz (2016-2020)
3. Jeff Allen (2012-2015)
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Allen returned to the team for the 2018 and 2019 seasons, wearing No. 73 and No. 79 for that time
4. Tom Barndt (1996-1999)
The No. 71 could have arguably been retired before Schwartz got the chance to make it famous in Chiefs Kingdom again as the starting right tackle for five seasons and the victory in Super Bowl LIV.
Budde was a legend for the Chiefs, choosing to play for Kansas City as the eighth overall pick in the 1963 AFL Draft despite also being the fourth overall selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Draft that same year. He was a Pro Bowl left guard for the Chiefs in his first season, and never looked back; Kansas City won Super Bowl IV during one of his two seasons as a first-team All-Pro left guard.
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71: Yards per game by Rashee Rice for the Chiefs in 2025
The Chiefs’ pass catchers were carried by wide receiver Rashee Rice last season when he was healthy. He led the team with 71 receiving yards per game; tight end Travis Kelce was second on the team with 50 yards per game.
Rice did not qualify for NFL leaderboards, but 71.4 yards per game would have ranked 11th among qualified players in the league last season.
In 2024, Rice averaged 72 yards per game over four weeks before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
With knee surgery (and off-field issues) in the rearview mirror for now, Kansas City’s offense could look closer to what Chiefs Kingdom has been used to with quarterback Patrick Mahomes if Rice can maintain that average over a 17-game season.
